Few performers can claim they’ve danced with Fred Astaire, acted alongside the voice of Winnie the Pooh, and collected autographs from Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. Vera Marshe did all three.
She was a Minnesota native, and an early performer. She was a vaudevillian, trained by prominent teacher Helen Noble. A mix of music, comedy, and performance, vaudeville provided a strong start for Vera. Due to her beauty, it was often thought that she would do well in romantic roles, but she preferred comedy roles. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Vera began her film career with small roles in productions such as Good News (1930) and Way Out West (1930).
One of Vera’s earliest notable roles offered a return to her vaudeville roots. In 1932, one half of the renowned sibling dance duo, Adele Astaire, left her position in the show The Band Wagon to marry Lord Charles Cavendish. This left her brother Fred without a dance partner. Adele’s understudy just happened to be Vera, who stepped in for the remainder of the shows, capturing the hearts of many and surpassing expectations. Vera gained many fans from this endeavor, evidenced by the fan mail in her collection.
Eagle-eyed readers will notice that early reports of Marshe’s work spelled her name differently: “Marsh.” This was no mistake. In fact, that was her name for the beginning of her career. In May 1930, Vera had a professional astrology reading done. The results of this were clear: the name “Marsh” was unlucky and was sure to bring nothing but disaster. Adding an “e” to the end, however, made the name quite lucky. With a name like Marshe, Vera was sure to find success.
Whether or not one would believe this, there is no denying that Vera evidently did, officially changing her name to Vera Marshe several years later in 1932. Newspaper clippings indicate that the change happened sometime between May and November of that year.
While looking through the history of Vera’s work, one name shows up as a costar more often than any other: Sterling Holloway, the comedian and original voice actor for the beloved Winnie the Pooh. Together, Vera and Sterling made a very reliable comedy duo and starred in several shows together. They were reportedly close friends off the stage as well, forming a bond that lasted several decades.
As Vera’s career neared its third decade, she began to do more television work. Notably, she was in over 20 episodes of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, playing various characters. This earned her annual Christmas cards from the Nelson family.
A hobby Vera seemingly kept throughout her career was collecting the autographs of her costars. Throughout her decades-long career, she managed to amass quite a collection. Some of the most notable pieces include autographs from Fred Astaire, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and the entire Nelson family.
The papers of Vera Marshe (1905-1984) are open to the public and available for research at the American Heritage Center. The collection includes newspaper clippings, photographs, correspondence, scrapbooks, memorabilia, and papers related to her work including contracts, scripts, and call sheets. It is a five-box collection that spans the years 1927 to 1973.
Post contributed by Reference Department Archives Aide Julia Wells.
